Can't Save Everyone
by GeneticallyEnhanced1
Summary: Max struggles to keep her family safe in Terminal City. Problemo is, her family’s a lot bigger than it used to be…
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel. If I did, I'd sure empty my wallet to make sure it had more than 2 seasons. ;-)

Summary: Max struggles to keep her family safe in Terminal City. Problemo is, her family's a lot bigger than it used to be…

Rating: T, it's a little violent in a PG13 way and there's some random DA-type language thrown around.

Author's Note: This story takes place after "Freak Nation." Its not really shipper-y right now but it may be later.

Chapter 1: Getting Caught Up with the Mutant Situation

Max had a lot on her mind these days. It wasn't easy taking care of the hundreds of mutants that lived in Terminal City. Terminal City was under siege and its inhabitants had to use their wits to avoid the surveillance of the police who watched their every move from the comfort of police cars sitting in front of the exit.

As a result, the transgenics had devised a myriad of ways to avoid their watchful eyes. Putting their training to good use, they studied their enemies and became familiar with each cop that stood watch. Some cops used the monotony of the vigil to their advance and received bribes underhandedly. The bribes ranged from stolen cash, goods, drugs, even garbage or debris that seemed to have a sentimental value for the cops… a valuable stamp or coin for instance.

The cash, of course, came from the many missions the X series went on to obtain everyday necessities. Despite the fact the transgenics could rough it better than the average 'ordinary', they still needed food, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, towels, even toilet paper. Since they were unable to obtain these items legally, they were forced to rob convenience stores, street vendors, and shop in the blackest part of the night. And if they could crack a safe or two to sneak by without getting shot at, so much the better.

The cover of nightfall also brought out unsavory characters, such as the drug addicts that littered the streets. Stealing and peddling drugs to crooked cops, in addition to avoiding angry drug dealers, were actions no transgenic really looked forward to doing. Besides getting shot at, whether by an angry drug dealer or prejudiced cop, was still getting shot at.

And not surprisingly, there were quite an abundance of prejudiced cops to deal with. Ones that looked at them with such hatred that receiving a cash payoff was out of the question. On those nights, sneaking out to get supplies was much more difficult. The basic strategy was to use some sort of diversion to draw attention away from the escaping transgenics. Still they were highly trained soldiers, and they always succeeded. At least… that's what they all hoped. The transhumans would monitor their comings and goings from Terminal City silently praying that the soldiers on the missions would come back safely. One of which was Joshua.

Joshua was banned from any such missions. It wasn't that Max didn't believe he could adequately defend himself. Through the teachings of his lizard friend Mole, Joshua had become quite skilled at weaponry. Add that to his fervor and superhuman strength, and Joshua was not a transhuman to be messed with. Despite his advantages, to the outside world Joshua was still wanted for murdering the sweet, blind woman, Annie Fischer. Not to mention killing and ripping out the tongues of sector police… another charge the unlucky dog-boy was never cleared. Deep down though, Joshua was still a gentle soul. True, he was more cynical and angry than when he first left Manticore, but when it came down to it Joshua was never trained to be a killer.

He still worried every night for Max's safe return. Max always joined the nighttime missions to gain supplies for her transgenic followers. She justified this by stating that she didn't really need sleep. But mostly she felt responsible for them. After all, it was she who encouraged all the transgenics to make a stand. She told them not to run… to stay and fight. Now she felt their lives were in her hands. Max didn't really consider herself as a leader, but she had always tried to protect her 'unit.' Her unit was simply bigger now. Much, much bigger.

She was often accompanied on these missions by Alec. Alec had never felt more alive than when he first escaped Manticore and was free for the first time. He longed for his old life of scams, petty theft, and sleeping around with the fine women of the world outside. It bothered him sometimes, to think of how it all went away so quickly. Somewhere inside he hoped that they would win the war and we would settle back into his old life of being a smart Alec… looking out for number one. Of course, he had changed since then. He worried about the fate of his fellow soldiers, Joshua, and Max. He knew he could never go back to how things were, but he liked to imagine he could. After all, looking after Max was no easy task. He had made a promise to Logan.

It was true that Max and Logan had gotten closer during the hostage crisis at Jam Pony. Max was comforted by his presence and his encouragement. In retrospect, she thought getting close to him again was a mistake. He was in even more danger now. After all, Logan had almost gotten killed by White when he raided his apartment a week ago. Max also knew that Logan would want to drop by and check on her, despite the danger of exposing himself to the hazardous materials of Terminal City. On top of all that, Max had a big job now and had to 'keep her head in the game' as she had told him once before. As a result, she kept the lie about her and Alec going. She said the hostage situation at Jam Pony made her nervous and she had needed him, but that she still had feelings for Alec. She wasn't sure he completely believed her, but it was enough to keep the emotional distance she needed.

Her fight for transgenic freedom was now bordering on obsession. She had to laugh at the irony of that when she had berated Logan not so long ago for being obsessed with Eyes Only. For his part, Logan was helping the transgenics keep strong in the struggle as best he could. He managed to get Eyes Only back on the air, with his brand new equipment to avoid being traced of course. Max would check in with him via the computers at Terminal City everyday to give a status report. She would always collect herself and even freshen up a little before speaking to him, but she didn't fool Logan. Despite her cocky tone and brave talk, he could see that she had fear in her eyes and even looked a little worn. But he knew as well as anyone… there was no stopping Max.


	2. The Mission Goes Sideways

Chapter 2: The Mission Goes Sideways

"Going out again tonight, Little Fella?" Joshua asked Max as he watched her pull her arms through the straps of her backpack.

"You got it, Big Fella," Max retorted, while absently adjusting her pack. Joshua observed her tired eyes and messy hair with concern in his eyes.

"Maybe… maybe you should take it easy, Little Fella. Leave tonight to someone else out there," he suggested, pointed his index finger toward the other Xs.

"Yea Max, leave it to the other bums out there," Alec called back from his position in his sofa. Alec and Joshua now lived in the same apartment in Terminal City. They had tried to reproduce the look of Joshua's place, but their new residence was more barren and much less welcoming than Father's house. It was, however, nicely spruced up by Joshua's numerous paintings all along the walls. Sitting in the middle of the room, at the behest of Alec, was an old television set. It had been ruthlessly tossed into the dumpster at the end of Terminal City, but some transhumans had managed to repair the set, much to Alec's delight.

"Speaking of which," Max muttered, walking over to him and nodding her head pointedly at the TV.

"Ahhhh no," Alec said firmly. "I've done enough 'missions' this week. You can let another sap try to avoid being shot at all night. MTV's having one of those hottie countdowns again," he explained, a small smirk playing on his lips at the last remark.

"Fine," she said shortly with a scowl. "I'll find someone else to do it." She marched out the door without another word.

Alec watched her go for a brief moment, shrugged, and then turned back to the TV. Joshua ran his fingers through his hair as he watched Max go and let out a deep sigh. He looked around his new apartment, missing Father's books. With a look of defeat, Joshua plopped himself on the opposite end of the couch. He glanced at Alec and snatched the remote from his fingers.

"What's on Animal Planet?" he asked, as he pointed the remote toward the TV.

Max roamed around Terminal City until she found the guards on sentry duty. There were four X series and two transhumans sitting watch, looking alert and focused. Max took a breath and walked up to the bunch of vigilant transgenics. "So, whose up for kicking ass tonight?" she asked with a small smile.

"I will," a young voice spoke up. Max looked down at a young member of the X-series. He was a boy, no more than thirteen, with short hair and a look in his eyes that suggested he was mature beyond his years. After looking him up and down, Max shook her head.

"You're too young," she stated, simply. "Anybody else?" she asked darting her eyes at the other three transgenics. No one spoke.

"I said I'll do it," the boy insisted.

"I said you're too young," Max stated again, her voice rising slightly in anger.

"Why? I've had just as much training as you've had," the boy stated, daringly. That stung Max a little. She glanced back at the boy and saw his grim determination.

"What's your name?"

"I call myself Brent," he stated, puffing out his chest to appear younger. His eyes shone with excitement as he looked imploringly at Max, hoping she was relenting. When she began to turn away, Brent stepped in front of her. "Please. Give me a chance."

Max had to smile at his persistence. "You sure you can handle this?" she asked.

"I _know_, I can," he said confidently.

"Come on," she told him. Brent eagerly walked behind her as she went to meet up with the other X5s chosen for the mission.

The four young soldiers had managed to escape past the perimeter undetected and now found themselves standing in the corner of an old general store waiting for the opportune moment. A lone guard took in front of the shop, looking groggy and grasping a rifle in his hands. Focusing in with her enhanced vision, Max saw the windows were covered with bumper stickers and graffiti… most of which was anti transgenic propaganda. She glanced over a few that read "The Only Good Trannie is a Dead Trannie" and "Protect Yourself", then averted her eyes so she wouldn't become blinded with rage and lost focus.

Brent seemed to have more difficulty keeping his anger in check. "Assholes," he stated. "I hate them all."

Max shot him a worried look. "You can't think like that Brent. They're not all like that. Logan helps us out all the time," she said gently.

Brent conceded that point. "We're better," he stated. "We're better." Max glanced at the other Xs and saw them nodded along in agreement with Brent's statement. _That train of thought won't help anyone_, she thought to herself as she thought about the growing division among the soldiers at Terminal City. Some had so much hatred toward the 'ordinaries.' _Hate just seemed to breed more hate_, she thought, shaking her head. She then turned her focus back to the guard. After looking around cautiously, he ran his hand down his face and turned to walk away.

"Now's our chance," Brent announced and walked toward the entrance before anyone could say a word. The other two soldiers quickly walked behind the teen. Max looked around for the guard and, noting his absence, followed behind the other soldiers. They were about to bust open the door when Max's ears pricked. Her breath caught in his throat as she realized the guard was coming back.

"Guys!" she whispered harshly in their direction. "Guys… the guard's coming back, hang _back_!"

The other soldiers began to crawl back toward Max, when they realized Brent was still standing near the door. "Brent come back _now_! That's an order!" Max insisted again.

Brent gripped the handle of the door. "We're so close," he said, with excitement. Making a quick decision, all three soldiers decided they'd rather watch over the young child than hang back and leave him in the open. They were lunging toward Brent to pull him out of the way, when they heard the click of a gun.

"Stop where you are, transgenic filth," the guard threatened as he pointed his rifle in their direction. "Don't make a move."

"You heard him," Max ordered, staying perfectly still. Brent scowled. He was so close to fulfilling his first mission. He could outwit this 'ordinary'… just one swift movement before the guard could blink. He'd snatch the gun, knock him out, and march right in. He could make it. He knew he could. He was made for this after all. Brent charged the guard with surprising vigor. Time stood still as the soldiers all heard a shot.

The brave young transgenic lay on the floor shocked as blood dripped from his chest, a hand still tightly holding the handle. The guard's trigger finger was now no match for the wrath of three angry soldiers. Within moments they took the angry guard down and he lay on the floor in a crumpled heap. The other soldiers began beating his unconscious body savagely. Max sucked in her breath, placed a hand on one of the transgenic shoulders, and gave him a look conveying the unspoken rule. That it was vital that no transgenic kill an ordinary. Even one that had no remorse for shooting an innocent young boy. Max rushed over to Brent and propped his head up gently.

"I'm sorry Max. I should have listened to you. I-I thought I was stronger. I wanted to impress you. I didn't think he would-"he choked out in airy gasps.

"Shhhh, shhhh," she said, gently placing a finger to his lips. "You'll be alright," she assured him, while gently running her fingers through his hair.

Brent saw that her eyes were full of tears and he looked at her with fear in eyes. He was trained to understand deception. He knew she was lying. Max saw the understanding in his eyes. "You were so brave," she said.

A small smile flicked across his face before his eyes rolled back in his head. And then he was still….

Alec watched his distressed friend pace her room. Max's headquarters consisted only of a large desk covered with papers scribbled with notes, pens, a small desk lamp, and her one luxury, a well cushioned swivel chair. The chair sat unused as Max made circles around her desk. Alec cautiously approached her.

"It wasn't your fault, y'know" Alec stated. Max stopped pacing and turned her head toward Alec. She went through the night in her head as she had a thousand times. He was right. At least she hoped he was right. She couldn't really let herself believe it was her fault. Max opened her mouth to protest then shut it. She looked into Alec's eyes.

"I know," she muttered under her breath. "I know." Max turned away from Alec and placed her hands on her desk, willing herself to stare at the wall behind it. "He was just a kid."

"…. Yea," he said after a pause. "I'm sorry… I should have been there," he said guiltily as a huge lump formed in his throat.

Max closed her eyes, sighed, and whirled to face Alec again. "Don't do that. We can't this. Playing the blame game isn't gonna help anyone," she stated coldly, her usual way of dealing with pain. "It's just-"she said, casting her eyes downward. "He's our second one. Casualty," she stated, practically spitting out the last word like it was a bad taste in her mouth. She was making a reference to CeeCee, the unfortunate transgenic caught in the crosshairs during the hostage situation at Jam Pony.

"I know," Alec said, gently. He moved toward Max and wrapped his arm around her back in empathy. Max ducked her head into his arms.

"I don't know how much more of this I can take," she confessed in a soft voice.

"Hey," Alec said, pulling Max back and putting his hands on her shoulders. "You can do this. You're our leader. You're the one who's helping us fight for our freedom. And I wouldn't want to be standing next to anyone else." Max looked up and smiled, grateful for his words.

Seeing the renewed hope in her eyes, Alec turned and began to walk out of the room. He seemed to have a thought and looked over his shoulder. "Besides… things can only go up from here, right?" he offered sarcastically with a cocky smirk on his face.

Max crossed her arms and watched him as he left the room and shut the door behind him.

"I hope so…"


	3. Good Things Come to Those Who Wait

Chapter 3: Good Things come to those who wait

Sometimes people say things that they don't really mean to cheer a friend up or to give encouragement. There's the 'you two will work it out' promise with relationship problems or even the 'I know you'll ace the test' lie to a stressed friend. Usually such false hope doesn't do much good. Things will play out no matter what your helpful friend wants you to believe. But sometimes, luck/fate steps in and the friend's advice turns out to be true after all. This was one of those happy times for Max.

Logan had, of course, heard of the mission that had gone sideways. He could hear the distress in Max's voice and wanted to do whatever he could in his power to pick up her spirits. But he couldn't exactly go down to the toxic site where she lived to bring her a bouquet of flowers or hug her and tell her everything was okay… so he had to help in his own way. Logan had been trying for months to help track down Max's 'family' and initiate a heartfelt reunion of sorts. Finally he had managed to track down two of Max's X5 brethren and clue them in on the events that had unfolded in Seattle.

Max was conferring with Dix, the potato headed transhuman, at the computer center of Terminal City. She was watching the radar map of Seattle on the lookout for any transgenics in the area who might be seeking refuge in TC, while shifting through her notes on different strategies to secure supplies for the residents of her fair city. She engrossed was Max that she barely noticed the tap on her shoulder. "Max?" a voice announced merrily.

"Not now, Zane," Max ordered without thinking. Her eyebrows knitted together and her head shot up, recognizing the voice. She whirled around and observed Zane and Jondy standing in front of her. Her eyes widened as big as saucers and a huge smile flicked across her lips.

"Hey big sister," Jondy smirked. Without another word, Max pulled Jondy into a hug and let out an enormous sigh of relief. Then she stood on her tip toes and hugged her big brother tightly. Max was so content to have her siblings back with her that she became lost in the moment, closing her eyes tightly and holding on a bit longer than the X5 was used to.

"M-Max," Zane protested at last as he gently pulled away from Max's grip. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"I am now," she smiled as she took in the appearance of her siblings, whom she had not seen in 12 years but recognized instantly. Zane was tall and appeared to be a mix of Middle Eastern descent. His eyes were bright green, his hair a scraggly mess of black, and his skin a beautiful shade of tan. Jondy was about Max's size. She looked Caucasian and sported short, dirty blonde hair and light blue eyes.

Reading her expression, Max knew that the special bond they had shared at Manticore had not been forgotten. They had been more than sisters. Best friends even. Max still remembered the nights when they crawled from their bunks in the dead of night and talked like giggling preteens at a sleepover. Jondy always managed to stay upbeat and would make sock puppets or goofy expressions to cheer up Max and the other X5s after particularly grueling tasks. In a way being cursed by their DNA to never feel exhausted, even after those difficult or harrowing days at Manticore, effectively sealed their bond as children.

"So I hear you've declared war, Maxie," Jondy stated matter-of-factly. "How's that goin'?" she smiled, half teasingly.

Max's smiled waned a bit. "It's tough," she admitted briefly.

"What made you go and do a crazy thing like that?" Zane asked; grabbing her in a headlock and giving her a noogy upon hearing her voice harden. He loosened his grip and she pulled away gently.

"Same fight we've been fighting all our lives. Trying to be free," she said, summing up in a few choice words the importance of their new 'mission.'

"Sure is a strange place you've got here," Zane commented. "I mean… look at all these nomlies," he stated, pushing his head in the direction of Dix. "Never knew there were so many."

A flicker of anger came over Max. "They're _not_ nomlies…" she said tersely, then relaxed a little realizing she had the same prejudices as a child. "They're the same. I mean, yea, they're different, but they…" she fumbled.

"_Max!_" yelled Joshua, bounding up to Max and her siblings with limbs flailing. "Max! Big trouble! You come, now!" he insisted.

Zane eyed the huge dog-man suspiciously. He looked up and down at the unusual creature, surprised at how tall he was. Jondy looked the dog-boy over as well, with a slight smirk on her face. She had always been quite fond of dogs. She glanced over at Max who seemed to regard Joshua with a lot of concern… and love. She decisively stuck her hand out toward the imposing figure.

"Joshua! I'm Jondy," she said in an upbeat voice. Max smiled at Jondy's friendliness and introduced her sister to a bewildered Joshua.

"Joshua… this is my sister," Max stated proudly. Joshua grabbed her hand with his own and gave her a firm handshake.

"Ahhh, it's nice to meet you," he said hastily, eager to meet Max's friends but wanting desperately to talk to Max. Before he could continue his rant to Max however, Zane, gauging Max's reaction to Jondy, offered his hand as well.

"Hey, uhhh, Josh," he said with a hint of nervousness in his voice. "Zane."

Joshua grabbed Zane's hand and shook it with such force that the tall, brawny X5 shook as well. "N-nice to meet you. Nice to meet you all!" he exclaimed, waving gnarled hand about. Then he released Zane, who stumbled backwards slightly from the excitable dog-man. Joshua turned to Max.

"Big, big news, Little Fella," Joshua announced with wide eyes.

Max put one hand on her hip and gave Joshua a half smile. _It'd be impossible to get me down right now_, she thought. "Do your worse," she told Joshua, smugly.

"Lydecker is here," he stated, motioned backwards.

Max's hand dropped from her hip. _Damn, why was she always wrong?_ she thought, disappointed.

Max walked up to her former tormentor who was expertly tied up to a fold-out chair and surrounded by a ring of none-too-happy transgenics. A hint of relief flashed in his eyes as he watched her approach. Max, slightly bemused by the welcome Lydecker was receiving, crossed her arms as she flashed him a cocky smirk.

"If it isn't the ever-evasive Donald Lydecker. Too bad you just missed Family Game Night," she quipped. "Thought you were dead."

"Max," Lydecker breathed as he struggled against his restraints. "I came here… to help."

"Yeah right," Alec scoffed. Max observed Alec and noted how he glared at Lydecker with hatred.

"You may not want to terminate me just yet, soldier," he advised Alec. "I have information vital to your survival."

"How are we supposed to believe you? You could just be selling out our asses to the highest bidder. You've tried it before," Max said coldly.

"You're the leader here, aren't you 452? You've certainly taken on a bigger mission than you were ever trained for," Lydecker murmured coolly.

A lump formed in Max's throat at his words. He was right… but she didn't allow him that leverage. "We're doing just fine," she replied icily.

"Then I've apparently been misinformed, I was under the impression a young X series had been terminated during the hostage crisis…. CeeCee was it?" he asked.

"Shut up," Max muttered.

"And then… was there another? A boy I heard? Not what I'd call a successful mission."

"_Shut up!" _Max yelped, striking him across the jaw.

"It doesn't have to be this way, Max," he said in almost a whisper. "I can help. Whatever you think of me, I was… quite the military strategist in my day."

Max sighed, taking in his words. She turned her back to him and dug her hands in her pockets. She turned back and addressed Lydecker's angry transgenic guards. "Take him to the 3rd room on the bottom floor of Apartment B. Lock him in and make sure he can't escape. Keep him alive," she instructed. The 4 transgenics surrounding Lydecker scowled but nodded and did as Max ordered.

Alec did not like how these events were unfolding. He grabbed Max's arm roughly as she began to leave. "Max, you can't trust this guy. You don't know what else he did when you left. You don't know him like I do," he warned him, his hand trembling slightly in anger.

"He did help us take down Manticore, Alec," she said in a clipped tone. "And what if he _can_ help us?"

Alec let go of her arm and shook his head. "You're making a mistake," he stated, angrily and left. Joshua looked at her with his brow knitted in confusion. He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it and walked in the same direction Alec had left.

Max absently ran her hand down her face and scowled. Jondy put a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay Max. I trust you," she said, confidently. Zane also smiled at her with equal confidence.

Max smiled at her words. At least her siblings had faith in her.

For two weeks their missions went off without a hitch. So well in fact, that there was in fact a surplus of goods for everyone at Terminal City. The system seemed to be working well. Max even delegated some responsibility for the missions to others at times as she caught up with her siblings. Zane and Jondy seemed to have lived quite extraordinary lives. It seemed that Zane and Jondy had caught up with each other 2 years after escaping Manticore and had formed a close friendship. They had never left each other once they were reunited. In fact, Max was convinced that there was something else going on between them. She felt really happy for her siblings, but also felt a tinge of jealousy. She and Logan still had that whole 'virus bitch' hanging around. At least… so she thought.

She could hardly contain her delight when Logan told her that he thought he had found a cure for the virus. And all he needed was a sample of her DNA. Max then set her giddiness aside and became suspicious. What if Logan's guy was going to up and walk out on them again? What in the effects were temporary? What if it wasn't a cure at all? What if he had stumbled upon someone trying to take out Eyes Only? Logan had assured her he had the answers. She just had to visit him... tonight.

As usual, Max startled Logan by managing to appear out of nowhere… again. She saw her startled jump and smiled slightly. "Hey… you," she breathed nervously.

"Hey," Logan smiled and stood up to greet her. He grunted slightly and hoped Max would not notice. It felt like the transfusion from Joshua was wearing off. Logan tried not to believe it and hoped that it was a fluke. He was fully functional again like he always wanted. Besides, tonight was too special to worry about such things.

"So…" Max started, taking a small step back from Logan. "How do we know this guy's for real?"

Logan took a breath. "Seems I got a call from a Donald Lydecker. He's managed to track down some old scientists from Manticore."

Max felt herself stiffen at his words. "And how do I know to trust _him_?" she said coldly. She pondered her recent interactions with Lydecker. He had been held in a small room in Terminal City and granted basic amenities, though not much more. Every day one transgenic was sent to bring him food and water. Max always had a guard watching him. She also went in to check on him from time to time. Their conversations were cold and brief, but lately he was the furthest thing from her mind. Max was snapped out of her musings on 'Don' by Logan's soft, reassuring voice

"Well, he did help us take down Manticore," Logan noted. "And even if he has ulterior motives… I can't imagine taking me down is one of them. He wants to earn your trust, Max," he reasoned.

"Besides," he sighed, looking down at her. "I'm sick of waiting," he relented and moved to the couch. Max followed and sat perched on an armchair. She knew that another 'relationship' talk was inevitable and was dreading it, of course.

"Max," Logan said, leaning forward and giving her a no-nonsense look. "I know things have been… different with us. There's no denying we've grown apart since last year…" Max closed her eyes, knowing he was referring to Alec. The lie still made her feel guilty and hollow inside; even though she had convinced herself a thousand times that it was a necessary one. Gauging Max's reaction, Logan gulped and continued. "But despite everything that's gone down I gotta know… do you still want to try this?"

"Logan," Max breathed. "Of course I do. You know I do," she stated plainly.

Logan smiled, as a big sigh of relief escaped. "Great. Uhhh, I left everything you need on the table there," he said gesturing to the small dining room table. On it Max noted a syringe, clamp, needle, and a small vial for her blood. She saw that Logan's vital was already filled and clearly marked. Max smiled and pushed herself off from the couch. "Guess I better get started," she smirked as she walked toward the table.

Logan grinned back and watched the woman he loved, with hope glistening in his eyes.


	4. Taking Us Down One By One

Chapter 4: Taking Us Down, One by One 

It was just another routine mission. The transgenics had become low on their meds. Despite their enhanced immune system, a small bunch needed medication for life's every day quirks. A couple headaches here and there, some menstrual cramps from the ladies, sleeping pills to fight insomnia, even anti depressants for those who constantly worried about their current status or experienced disturbing flashbacks from their time at Manticore. There were also a few special cases: Gem needed baby formula for young Eve, the first child to be born during the Transgenic Revolution. In addition, Zane and Jondy still suffered from seizures and needed daily doses of Tryptophan. Max's seizures were now under control thanks to her recent stay at Manticore. They had more or less fixed the problem. Her seizures rarely occurred and when they did Max only felt small tremors instead of debilitating shakes.

"So… who's gonna fall in for this assignment?" Max addressed her transgenic crew. As Max expected, the transgenics were reluctant to accept this mission. Breaking into a hospital was a tough job and not exactly a plum assignment. The hospitals in the area were surrounded by chain link fences and they could expect a few heavily armed guards as well. Max guessed it was because the CDC was still sniffing around after a real-life transgenic, eager not to let their prize go if one happened to pay them a visit again.

Alec looked around at the less than enthused transgenics, scowled, and put his hand up in support. "Bunch of wimps," he muttered.

"I'm in," a voice called out as another hand shot into the air. Max realized it was Jondy's arm. She smiled at her sister, but Zane looked at her disapprovingly.

"Jondy, you don't want to do this. This mission is too dangerous. You're better off to stay here with me," he urged her, grabbed her arm in desperation.

Jondy turned back to him with a defiant look in her eyes. "I can do this Zane. I _want_ to do this. I'll be okay," she said confidently. She turned toward Max. "Besides," she smiled. "Big sister is looking out for me."

Zane looked up at Max, sighed, and let go of Max's arm. "Fine. But be careful," he ordered. Max smiled a satisfactory smirk in triumph and turned to lead her band of soldiers.

"Max!" Zane called after her. "Don't let anything happen to Jondy. Please."

"I won't," she said, looking him in the eye. "I promise."

Harbor Lights Medical was even more tightly guarded than expected. Beyond the chain link fence, Max spied a large parking lot. At the far end of the lot, two guards were posted at the front doors, heavily armed. There were two more guards posted at each side doors. They were big, burly soldiers and then didn't look like they would be reluctant to take out an X5. Max eyed the situation and thought strategy. Then she sighed and turned to the X5s waiting behind her.

"Okay guys, we split up. They won't expect three of us. Jondy, Alec… think you can hop that fence?"

Jondy and Alec eyed the fence and guessed it to be about 10 feet high. Quite an impossible feat for a mere mortal, but more than possible for two highly trained transgenics. "You only live once," Alec quipped. Jondy nodded in agreement.

"Alec, you and Jondy leap over the fence on opposite sides at the same time. I'll made sure I land a second after you two land… with any luck the guards will hear you two but they won't hear me. Then we'll take cover under the cars in the parking lot. The guards in the front will go off in opposite directions looking for you two. You can each take one out while I slip through the front doors before the guards at the side doors see me. After that, take cover. Return to base. Don't come after me," she instructed.

"Sounds pretty airtight," Jondy remarked. Her hand went to the small handgun hidden in her belt.

"Let's do this," Alec agreed, loading the clip into his own gun.

Max's plan started to go off without a hitch. The guards went off in search of Alec and Jondy, never hearing Max softly land in the middle. She smirked… the front door was just in reach. Alec and Jondy were having a bit more difficulty. The guards were large, imposing figures and they were well-trained. Alec dodged a few shots from his opponent's gun, and then twisted his arm so he would drop his weapon. With the weapon dislodged, Alec ran to the front of his attacker and slugged him in the gut. While the guard was clutching his stomach, Alec chopped his back so the guard arched his back in pain and slammed down on his knee. Alec followed through by giving him another swift kick on the back, pushing him down into the ground and into slumberland.

At the same time, Jondy was holding her own. She used a single kick to knock the gun out of her guard's hand. Then, in an amazing feat of X5 strength, swung the giant brute over her head. The guard managed to hold his ground and stumbled slightly.

"Transgenic bitch," he grumbled as he whirled around to face her. Jondy responded by charging him into the chain link fence and holding down on his throat with her elbow.

"Now that's not very nice," she quipped, and kneed him in the groin. The guard went down flat and moaned. "I think we're about done here," she called over to Alec who was just finishing dispatching his guy. Then she doubled over.

_Oh no… not here, not now,_ Jondy panicked as she realized she was seizing. She tried to keep her composure, but the seizure was powerful and Jondy went down. The guard she thought was unconscious was witnessing this event with a sadistic glee. Quietly, he crawled toward the ground where his weapon had dropped and approached the debilitated X5.

Before she could enter the hospital, Max suddenly sensed something was wrong. She looked over her shoulder and saw Jondy on the ground. She looked beyond her sister and saw the guard about to strike. Max's eyes went wide_. "Jondy, look out!"_ she screamed at her sister.

It all happened so fast. Before Max and Alec could react, in a split second, Jondy had been shot. Max rushed over to Jondy, hoping that the wound had not cut deep. She knocked the guard down with one lightning fast jab to the chin and held her sister in her arms. A lump caught in her throat as she realized the guard had hit her squarely in the chest, and she was not likely to survive. She shook her head, clearing out any rational thought and managed a weak smile for her sister. "You're going to okay Jondy, just hang on," she assured her.

But Jondy was a Manticore soldier and she knew death when she saw it. Wincing, she managed to sit up and grab her sister's hand. "Max… you gotta keep fighting. You make us free, Maxie. You make us free…" she instructed her sister in shallow breaths, then her eyes rolled back in her head, and she faded away.

"Jondy? Jondy? Jondy no! Don't give up on me!" she yelped and she pleaded to her deceased sister. Hot tears began to stream down her face.

Alec had been assessing the situation when he noticed the two side door guards approaching them. He bent down to Max's level and gently put his hand on her shoulder. "Max, we gotta go. The guards are coming. Hurry."

Max rose her head up only to see the guard who had so coldly shot her sister come to. He crudely spit the blood from his mouth, bent down on one knee, and began to get up. Max's eyes wavered slightly and she saw the gun he had used to shoot her sister. She looked again at the fresh young face of her younger sister, now growing cold. In a fit of rage, she grabbed the gun, stood to face the guard, and shot him expertly… three times in the heart.

Alec gasped, bewildered at the recent turn of events. "Max," he said desperately. "We really have to go."

Max stood stunned, the gun still hanging limply from her arms. She looked back at her sister. "The body…" she squeaked in barely a whisper.

"Leave it!" Alec yelled more forcefully, grasping her arm. "Or we'll both get caught!"

Max refocused back to 'soldier mode', shook her head, and ran alongside Alec back to Terminal City… pushing the night's events from her mind. Just like they trained her to do.

Zane was already there to greet them when they returned from their mission. He pulled back the fence to let Max and Alec through, and then scanned for Jondy. After Alec and Max had made it safely into Terminal City, Zane stood in their path. "Where's Jondy?" he stated in a no-nonsense tone. X5s weren't much for small talk or false pretenses. His voice shot out tersely.

Alec glanced at Max, who was looking at the ground, unsure of what to say. He decided he would try to step in. "Za-aaane, my man. You know… we haven't really gotten to know each other…"

Before Zane could comment on how they were obviously avoiding the question, he heard Max say in barely a whisper, "We lost her." Alec regarded her. In that second, Max seemed to change. She looked like a frightened little girl, not the fearless, sarcastic Max he knew. He looked over at Zane whose face began to contort with rage. He balled up his hands into fists and Alec started to take a fighting stance in case he was going to hurt Max. Instead Zane approached Max and stood to his full height. He loomed over her and stared at her with intense hatred.

"I trusted you," he said coldly, and walked away. Max sniffed in and attempted to hold back her tears before taking off into the night.

Luckily, Alec knew where to find his tortured friend. He was right where he expected her to be… high on the Space Needle.

"Hey Max," he greeted her cautiously. She didn't respond, but she didn't dismiss him either. Alec thought that was invitation enough for him to sit down next to her. They sat in silence for a beat, and then Alec decided to break the ice. He began to open his mouth to think of something clever to say, but closed it when he heard a soft voice come out of her.

"Don't tell Joshua," she stated, bluntly. Alec wasn't sure he heard her right. It just seemed out of context… and odd thing to say.

"What?" he questioned, making sure he heard her right.

"Don't tell Joshua," she repeated. "If he finds out I killed someone in cold blood after stopping him from killing White…"

"Hey… it's gonna be okay," Alec attempted. Max interrupted him again.

"How many people have you killed, Alec?" she asked, almost nonchalantly.

Alec's blood ran cold at her question. He thought about evading her question altogether, but then noticed how she was staring at him intensely. He breathed out and conceded, "Six. Six people."

"Do you regret it? What you did? Do you feel… guilty?"

"Well… maybe… sometimes…" he faltered.

"I don't," she stated icily. Alec looked at her with wide eyes. "I don't want to admit it but… it felt… good," she explained, staring blankly into the sky.

"Max, she was… your sister," Alec tried.

"Maybe it's just who I am," she said, looking down at her hands. Alec tried to pull her back…to get her to stay and talk. But she loosened away from his grip and ran off into the night.


	5. Deal with the Devil

Chapter 5: A Deal with the Devil

Max knocked loudly on the door. She banged the flimsy wood with her fist as hard as she could. After a few minutes, the door finally opened and she walked briskly in. Max stared with wild eyes at the man in front of her.

"Help me," she stated plainly. She searched his eyes for a response and, greeted with once silence, dropped down on one knee. "Please, help me. I can't… I can't lose another one. I have to protect them," she pleaded.

"You have my undivided attention," said Colonel Lydecker. Max stood up slowly as a sense of relief came over her. "But… you'll have to play by my rules," he stated as he began circling her like a lion circles his prey. "You'll address me only as 'Sir' and you will do things on my terms. Is that clear 452?"

Max felt a lump form in her throat as she heard herself be called by a number instead of a name again. Her eyes roamed as she surveyed Lydecker once more. Then she took a breath.

"Yes, Sir."

Max didn't let anyone know about her pack with Lydecker, of course. Their meets were strictly clandestine and occurred only in the dead of night when most X5s were fast asleep. She was being drilled in strict Manticore fashion. All the torturous methods of training started to re-surface, bit by bit. She ran drills until she dripped sweat or collapsed from fatigue. She accepted all of Lydecker's reprimanding whenever she was performing up to par. For her part, Max pushed all that was happening in the back of her mind. Whenever she felt drained, exhausted, or humiliated, she would remember what happened to her sister and how what she was doing was needed. She knew what she was doing was right.

"You sure look like hell," Alec said nonchalantly as he loaded the clip into his gun.

"Thanks Alec," Max said, dripping with sarcasm. She reached across the table where she was sitting and loaded her own gun.

"Uhhh Max? Thought you didn't do guns," he commented, nodding his head at the weapon in her hand.

"You do what you have to do," she said in a monotone voice. Then after a beat, "Don't worry, I won't go postal on anyone again," she added with a slight smirk.

"… Right," he replied, wondering how she could address the issue with such humor. "You sure you're alright?"

"Never been better," she lied, giving him an angry don't-go-there glare.

During their raid that night (with another X5 and an X4), Alec noted a difference in Max's fighting style… or at least he thought he did. She was fighting with a bit more ease and appeared a little distracted when she fought. He watched as she flipped a guy twice her size over on his back, then took him out with a single punch. With a grim fascination, he watched her take out the last guy while he took out his with a swift blow of his elbow. They gathered the supplies needed back at Terminal City and walked home in silence.

"Pretty swift moves, Max," he commented.

"What I do," she stated as they laid the supplies out on the table to be sorted in the morning. Alec sighed as he watched her leave.

Making an executive decision, Alec contacted Logan candidly that night.

"Alec… everything okay?" Logan asked, knowing that if Alec contacted him something must be wrong.

"Everything's fine here in Mutant City," he smiled, smugly. He darted his eyes to make sure no one else at TC noticed their conversation, leaned toward the monitor, and lowered his voice. "I'm worried about Max."

"Why is she okay? I heard about her sister…"

Alec rubbed his head. "Yea, I'm not sure. She's quiet lately, fighting better…"

"Well, Max has been through a lot. If brushing up on her fighting helps, then maybe it's just her way of dealing with this," he reasoned.

"… Yeah. It's probably nothing. I mean, who knows her better than you, right?"

Logan didn't say anything for a minute, taking in Alec's words. He sighed. "Just keep an eye out for her. Please," he asked Alec. Then he ended the transmission.

The following night, Alec and Max were on another mission. It seemed Logan had stumbled upon a member of White's breeding cult. Logan explained to the X5s that he seemed like a nut-job and even came to him in a straight jacket. Eyes Only wasn't entirely sure he could trust this guy, who clearly seemed mentally unstable. Max quickly identified him as CJ, White's beloved brother and assured Logan she thought he was safe to trust. CJ had come to him in a panic, telling him that what he had to do would get him killed, but that it would be worth it if he could stop all of _them_ from being killed. After Logan promised CJ to a safe house, he finally told him about some secret disk which contained files about the Breeding Cult and their agenda.

It seemed the files were safely tucked away in the office of a corrupt politician who was also a member of the Cult. One Senator McKinley, a foreboding figure in the media who often spoke against transgenics and spewed out hate filled nuggets like "monsters that should never have been brought into the world." Of course, it wouldn't be easy sneaking into the office of a politician who apparently had a lot of clout with the local media. Alec had volunteered for the assignment, despite Max's warnings that they were going up against Familiars, not ordinary beings.

After some impressive maneuvering of nearby objects and crates, Max and Alec managed to leap onto the Senator's window and crawl in unnoticed. They both had to smile at their good luck as they quietly shifted through the Senator's office in search of the disk. Unfortunately, the disk seemed pretty hard to find. They overturned chairs, pulled out desk drawers, searched through his computer, with no such luck. Sighing, Max scanned the area. Alec threw up his hands in frustration.

"You know Max… maybe this guy really is crazy. I mean, you usually earn the privilege of wearing a strait jacket!"

At that moment, Max noticed something. "Shut up," she muttered to her companion. She walked up to the bookcase and noticed one book on the bottom shelf was slightly pulled out by maybe a quarter inch. She grabbed the book, which was rather thick, a hardcover, and had the words " Downing Street" etched on the side. She flipped the book open and triumphantly pulled out the disk.

"See, Alec? Just a little perseverance," she boasted.

"Yea well, don't get the party favors out yet," Alec warned as he suddenly began looking around the room fearfully. "I think you may have triggered a silent alarm."

Max quickly shut the book and stuffed the disk in her jacket. "Let's get out of here," she said in desperation as the door flung open. It was Senator McKinley.

"I'd put that disk back you transgenic freaks," he ordered, predictably.

"Bite me," Max retorted as the Senator lunged for them. A fierce battle broke out between the Familiar and the angry X5s. The Senator managed to block their advances at first, and then Max threw him off with a swift kick to the chest. He kicked Max in the gut, sending her across the room. Before he could commend himself on his moves, Senator McKinley felt the wrath of an angry X5 as Alec started pummeling him in the face.

"Have I seen your face before?" he asked the Senator as he worked his way from his adversary's nose, to his mouth, to chin. "I mean… you look awful Familiar," then he kneed the Senator in the groin.

"Feeling the pain now?" he joked as the Senator began doubling over. While pretending to be doubled over in pain, McKinley stealthily reached for the lamp on the table and flung it at Alec's head. Alec stumbled backwards and fell into the wall, stunned.

"Bad mistake," Max said, menacingly as she recovered and attacked the Senator. In a fury of punches, kicks, and chops, Max was able to take down McKinley sustaining just two blows in the process. Breathing heavily with rage, Max took a breath and walked over to Alec, extending her hand. "What do you say we get the hell out of here?" she asked the dazed X5.

Alec didn't need to be asked twice.

Back in Terminal City, Max held a compress to Alec's head. Joshua hovered over the two of them, worried. She pulled the compress off and gingerly touched the spot on Alec's head where the lamp had struck.

"Ow!" Alec reacted and pulled her hand away. "Must be nice to not feel pain, huh?" he said in an attempt to inject humor into an intense moment.

"Alec this isn't funny. You could've been killed," Max said in a no-nonsense tone.

"You sure you're okay, Alec?" Joshua added.

"Heeeyyy, it's me, here. I'm always okay," he smiled, reassuringly at her. She sighed at his overly confident tone as her eyes wondered to her watch.

"Oh my God," she muttered under her breath.

"What?" Alec asked, noting her motion toward her watch.

"Nothing," she said, quickly covering. "I gotta go. Hey, stay out of trouble," she ordered before taking off.

Joshua and Alec stared a look as they watched hr go.

Colonel Lydecker was not happy. "When do we start our training, soldier?" he asked, roughly staring angrily at her.

"At 15 00 hours, Sir."

"And what time is it now, soldier?"

"15 18, Sir," she shouted, obediently.

"You want to explain the reason for your delay, soldier? Or maybe this training isn't really important to you," Lydecker asked, quite good at intimidating his 'kids' by now.

After a beat Max said, "It was 49… Alec, Sir. He was hurt on a mission."

Lydecker considered her words as he placed his glasses in his mouth, pensively. "You really want to help them, don't you? You'd do everything in your power?"

She looked him in the eye, intensely. "Yes, Sir."

"I've assembled some people from scientists from Manticore. I've promised them protection in return for their help. They are the ones working on the antigen for this little… barrier between you and Cale," he explained. "… But they still have their knowledge about genetic enhancement…"

Max scowled, realized his intent. "I'm not your lab rat anymore," she stated, icily.

"You want to do anything in your power to protect them. Your unit. Your… family. Can you imagine… losing another soldier while knowing you could have prevented it? Knowing you didn't do all that you could…" he said, luring her in.

Max didn't say anything. But he knew her answer already…

The 'treatments' were given in the same eerie way that they were given in Manticore. It involved Max sprawled out on a long table surrounded by Manticore doctors, who poked and prodded with thick needles. Sometimes the stuff burned like crazy. Most of the time, Max did not receive any anesthetic. Lydecker claimed that since Manticore was run to the ground and all he had were a few nervous doctors, he didn't want to waste money numbing the pain she'd been trained for years to ignore. She had become quite good at ignoring the blinding pain and remaining her composure. Lydecker thought that she was being a good little soldier, but it was obvious that somewhere in her mind Max wanted to pretend like she was still in control.

These treatments continued for a very torturous week with none of Max's friends or fellow soldiers catching on. Then it happened that Max was invited to Alec and Joshua's for dinner. She had kept shrugging them off, claiming she was too busy but they insisted. Besides… who could resist those puppy dog eyes? Or was it giant dog-man eyes?

"Mmm, this is great Mac and Cheese, isn't it Max?" Alec prodded, elbowing Max who was unusually quiet.

"Huh?" she said groggily, realizing she had been thinking about her most recent treatment. One that she had been trying to get out of her mind… She quickly perked up, noticing Joshua's disappointed face. "Oh yea! It's great, Big Fella. No one makes a Mac and Cheese like you do. It's you know… just… cheesy… enough…" she stumbled, covering.

Joshua perked up a little and smiled back at her, but he looked a little perplexed. "Thanks, Little Fella."

Alec gobbled down his late morsel, patting his stomach, propped his hands behind his head. "Hey you know… with all the shit that's been going down lately, you really got to appreciate a quiet meal with your favorite dog-boy and the princess of the pariahs."

Max chortled a little, giving him a wary eye, "Princess?"

"What you don't like? How about Guardian of the Genetically Superior?"

"Savior of the Special Ones?" Josh chimed in.

Max smiled at their ribbing, wiped her mouth with a napkin. "You two are too much, but I gotta get back to work," she relented, putting on her jacket.

As she started to walk to the door, Joshua started to protest. "Wait, Little Fella!" he pleaded and grabbed her by her elbow.

Before she knew what she was doing Max reacted to Joshua's tight grip on her sore arm. "OW!" she yelped and shoved him backwards onto the floor.

Joshua quickly sat up, caught his balance, and looked at her, upset. Max rubbed her temples in frustration. "Look… I'm sorry Joshua. I don't know what came over me…" she apologized and extended her hand to him. Joshua reluctantly took it as Max pulled him up.

He knitted his brow and started to question her. "Max, are you sure you're-"

"-I'm fine. Just tired… really." Max broke in hastily. "Hey, thanks for dinner," she said, clapping him on the back. "Gotta blaze."


	6. It All Breaks Down

Chapter 6: It All Breaks Down 

"Guard duty… pretty wack," Josh muttered as he leaned against his arm and stared into the monitors. "We should be out looking for Max," he told Alec, also on watch.

"… Yea, we should," Alec agreed his arms behind his head and his legs propped onto the table. "But we can't. We have to watch the monitors like good little guards," he said in a semi-mocking voice. He looked over at Joshua, who had started to pull out a book he had taken with him. "But hey, this is good news," he said, giving the dog-man a light punch in the arm.

"Good news?" Joshua asked as he flipped to his bookmark, unconcerned.

"No news is good news, right?"

As if Fate was defying him, one of the computers started to fuzz next to him. After a short blink, Logan came on screen. "Max?" he called from the speaker next to Joshua. Alec casually touched a command on the keyboard.

"Ya' got Alec, here," he said. Logan looked into his video camera and saw him on his screen.

"Oh… where's Max?" he asked, picking up the transgenics 'cut to the chase' attitude.

"Got me. Trying to save Terminal City, I guess… however it is she does it," he said with a slight flourish of his arm.

Logan's brow knitted together. "Well, she was supposed to meet me here tonight. Where is she?" he asked in a clipped voice.

"Don't know, don't care," Alec lied. "What can we do for you pal?"

Logan sighed… Alec would have to do. "A contact told me of some unusual activity in a building a few miles away from Terminal City," he explained.

"So? You want us to stop a few good men from having a good time? Or maybe you want in on the action?" he teased.

Logan bit his lip in frustration. "Well, I thought you'd like to know… it's an old lab. A genetics lab. People have been sneaking in and out night after night."

Logan now had Alec and Joshua's undivided attention. He registered their concerned faces on his monitor. "Look… it may not be anything. But I got a tip something's going down. Thought it was worth checking out."

"Where?" Joshua cut in.

"5 blocks from Sector 9. And guys? Be careful. No telling what's in there," Logan cautioned.

"Thanks for lookin' out," Alec said and cut off transmission. He rose from his chair and reached for his gun. "I better check this thing out."

"I'm going with you," Joshua insisted.

"Uhhh… no, no. No offense Dog-boy, but you aren't exactly trained for this kinda thing. It's dangerous."

"Mole… Mole's been teaching me how to fight. He says I've got a lot of… power…" Alec gave him a wary look, unconvinced. "Please Alec. If there's another Manticore… more secrets and darkness, I want to stop it too."

Alec relented. "Okay… but bring your helmet and make sure no one else sees us."

"Mind if I tag along?" another voice called out.

Joshua and Alec were surprised to see Zane come out from shadows. "Well, look who decided to grace us with his presence," Alec commented sardonically.

"I know I haven't been around much… but I agree with him," he said, looking at Joshua. "If anyone Manticore's going down, I want it stopped too."

"Alright, squad. Fall in," Alec scowled as he set off with Joshua and Zane in tow.

A few minutes later, they arrived at their destination. Joshua tilted his head at they stood at the front door.

"I hear them. Something's going down," he confirmed.

"Shall we politely ring the doorbell or barge in and start pointing guns?" Alec asked. Without another work, Zane kicked down the door, gun in hand. They were all shocked to see Max tied up in a chair, surrounded by some of Manticore's finest.

Zane raced up to Lydecker and held him above the ground by his throat. "What have you done to her?" he asked, menacingly. At the same time, Joshua started to throw around the nearby scientists into the walls and banging them into tables, while Alec began undoing her restraints and ripping out the needles in her arm.

"Max? Max? You, alright? Talk to me?" Alec asked as he undid the tape holding the needle.

"Stop it," she whispered, a little woozy as she tried to sit up.

"It's no big deal… I'll have you outta here in no time."

"I said _stop it!_" she shouted, pushing him away. Alec, Joshua, and Zane all stared, stunned at her outburst. She pulled herself off. "I'm not a prisoner, okay? Lydecker's helping me."

"What? Max, what the hell are you talking about?" asked Zane as he started to loosen his grip on Lydecker and pull him back down.

"He's helping me," she repeated. "I needed it. I needed to be faster… stronger… better."

"Max are you crazy, this guy's a psychopath!" Alec shouted with wide eyes as he pointed toward Lydecker.

"It's my family, Alec. I don't expect you to understand," she said coldly.

Alec bit his lip in anger. "Max you could get yourself killed!" he argued, staring her down.

"I feel _fine_, I-"

Joshua caught Max as she fell over backwards, unconscious. Joshua looked at her with fear in his eyes. "What's happening to her?" he said with a restrained calm.

"It's the treatments," Lydecker explained, holding his sore throat. "You're not supposed to just pull her away in the middle. They're very delicate."

Zane looked at Lydecker with fire in his eyes. "You… you'll pay for this Lydecker," he warned and shoved him into the table behind him, effectively knocking him out. "Let's go guys," he ordered.

Joshua slung Max over his shoulder, growling as he left the room.

That same night, an hour later, they were all back at Alec and Joshua's apartment. Max started to come to, only to see three angry transgenics in front of her. She groaned as she sat up. No one said anything for a minute. Conceding, Max waved her hand at them. "Well?"

"What the hell were you thinking?" Zane blurted.

"I was thinking that I need to help us out. And that maybe I hadn't been doing a good job of that before," she stated in a monotone voice. Zane visibly gulped at her words.

"Boy, you're so strung out on this whole 'savior thing' you don't even realize what you did!" Alec snorted, angrily. "You made yourself an experiment again. A number." She stared at him, unphased.

"You gave yourself to them, after giving your life to take them down!" Zane added, rubbing his eyes.

"You let them take away your humanity," Joshua stated, plainly. At those words, what had transpired began to sink in for Max. A breath caught in her throat as hot tear began to form in her eyes. She quickly rose from the couch and turned away from her friends.

"Guys, I'm sorry," said a small voice. "I didn't realize…" She turned around and faced them. "I just wanted to protect them and… I didn't know how. They were all being taken down one by one. I didn't know what to do," she rambled.

Her head dropped as she realized what was about to happen. "I just… felt so helpless," she squeaked as she covered her eyes with her hand. Joshua went over to her and pulled her into a tight hug. Max buried her head in his chest. It was only then that Max allowed herself to be wracked with sobs.

"Its okay, Little Fella," Joshua said calmly, petting her head.

"I'm so sorry," she kept saying between sobs. She wasn't just talking to Joshua, but to Alec, Zane, Logan, the other soldiers and mostly… to herself. She knew that she was the one who would be toughest to forgive.

After a full fifteen minutes, Max seemed to regain her composure and pulled away from Joshua. Zane shifted uncomfortably as he looked at the time. "Hey, you gonna be okay little sister?"

"Yea, I'll be alright," she said in barely a whisper.

Zane gave his sister a gentle hug. "I love you, Maxie," he said and seeing that she did look better, he pulled away from her. He smiled fakely, turned, and left the apartment. Max watched him disappear.

"Well I better be going too. Got a lot of work to do," she shrugged lamely. But Alec blocked her escape to the door and flashed her cocky grin.

"I don't think so. I think you'd better take it easy tonight. Maybe have some fun for a change?" he persisted.

She looked at him, confused. "What are we supposed to do? We're not exactly welcome back at Crash..." she explained, remembering the way she used to scam some extra cash on Friday nights.

Alec put a hand on her shoulder and led her to the couch. "Welcome to the World of Attention Deficit," he declared as he plopped down in front of the TV. Joshua rolled his eyes as he sat on his armchair, exhausted. Max stared numbly and gripped the arm of the chair as she watched Alec flip through the channels for a couple minutes. She glanced over at Joshua who had fallen fast asleep in his chair. She looked over at Alec, who seemed a little too focused on the boob tube.

"Alec..." she began. He looked over at her. "Thanks. Really."

"Hey… you gave me my name. I helped you find yours again," Alec said and gave her a half smile. She gave him a slight smile back. Wanting to change the subject and forget what had happened, Alec focused on the TV again. "Hey, look. _Back to the Future_."

Max looked perplexed. "What's that?"

Alec laughed at her naivety. "Science fiction that doesn't involve us."

She smiled and put her head on his shoulder. They watched the movie for about a half hour, laughing back and forth and commenting at some parts. "Hey, this is my favorite part. With the skateboard… kinda like an 80's type…"

He looked over and saw that Max had passed out on his shoulder. He smiled and gently eased her onto the couch, placing a pillow under her head. Before heading to his own bed, he looked back at his tortured friend, sleeping peacefully. He kissed her head, delicately.

"Goodnight, Max."

_Author's Note: A sequel is in the works. Max faces the consequences of what she did… the trial of the century! I'll also bring in White and play up that part of the story. _


End file.
